Quirky 2
by Inkster Girl
Summary: A re-telling of another work of mine by the same title. Danielle Court moves to Mystic Falls for a teaching job at the high school. She expected teen drama, late nights grading papers, and chaperoning dances that included way to much glitter. What she didn't expect was Damon Salvatore, the deputy sheriff with dark looks, a dark sense of humor, and dark secrets. Damon/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes** : Hello to everyone who's reading this. I know that I have a story posted titled "Quirky", and yes, this story will have the same basic idea except for a few differences.

I didn't think that I did my original story to the best of my ability and eventually, this revised edition will replace the old one. Most characters will stay, others will go. I will try to make this version more detailed and I plan on taking my time on developing the relationship between Dani and Damon, which felt a bit rushed in the original.

I would like to thank those that posted comments on the original "Quirky" and hope that you enjoy this one just as much.

Additionally, my original took place near the end of season one of the Vampire Diaries, which will not be the case in this story. I will actually not be leaning on the show for most of the structure of this story and will be trying to be a little more original so that I have more room to develop ideas.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Danielle Court yawned as she drove into Mystic Falls. She'd been driving for two days from her native town in Canada, all of her things stuffed into the trunk and back seat of her Mini Cooper, and all for a teaching job.

She had signed up with a company that sent English teachers to other countries to teach English. She had just graduated from university with her degree, but she did not picture her first teaching experience to be in an American classroom.

But she had been informed that she would not only be teaching English, but she would be covering a Spanish class as well, so that was something.

Looking around, she saw that she was on Main Street, and she needed to go to Cornell. She received the address of where she was staying a week before she left and that was all. She pulled out her phone and pulled up her mapping app.

She saw that the GPS on her phone had picked up her location and that she needed to take the next road over to get to the address.

She made a turn at the next street and followed it until she came to Cornell. She didn't see anything that looked like an apartment building. The street just had houses lined up on both sides.

Dani frowned, thinking that this must be the wrong road when she spotted the address she was supposedly looking for.

Dani pulled up to the curb and shut off the engine. Stepping out, she sighed in pleasure as she stretched. The sun shone brightly above her and a cool breeze blew her hair into her face. Annoyed, Dani pushed it away and made her way up the front steps of the house in front of her.

It looked like a modest house. White with green shutters and trim, it had two floors and seemed quite clean.

It was the address that she had, so she would see if this was the right place.

Going up the porch steps, she knocked on the door.

She stood there for a few minutes than knocked again. Glancing at the driveway, she noticed that there were no cars parked there. She puckered her lips nervously. Hopefully there was someone home.

The door opened quite suddenly and an old woman looked out at her sourly. "If you're selling something, I don't want it."

Dani shook her head and smiled. "No ma'am, I'm not here to sell you anything. My name is Danielle Court and I was given this address by my-"

"Oh, you're the teacher!" In an astounding transformation, the old woman's sour expression turned into the sweetest smile.

"You must forgive my rude behavior. I hate salesmen and religious kooks. Please come in. What did you say your name was again dear?"

"Uh, Danielle Court."

"What a lovely name for a lovely girl," the woman crooned. "You may call me Tabby or Ms. Tabby if you prefer. I'll show you around the house and where to put your things."

Ms. Tabby beckoned her in, and Dani stepped gingerly through the door frame.

"Now," Ms. Tabby began, "I live on this floor, my room is just down the hall next to the kitchen. I'm not as young as I used to be so I can't keep going up and down the stairs everyday. You'll be upstairs with your own room and bathroom. You're responsible for keeping the top floor clean, supplies are in the hall closet down here."

Ms. Tabby gestured to a narrow door in the wall and Dani nodded to say that she understood.

Ms. Tabby continued, "I go to the store every Wednesday, so if you want anything, you can tell me or write me a list of what you would like me to pick up for you. I will provide breakfast but you'll have to make your own lunch and dinner."

Dani nodded again.

"The main TV is in the living room down here, but if you have your own, there is a cable hookup in your room. There is to be no excessive noise however, please keep the volume at an appropriate level."

"Of course," Dani said.

Ms Tabby smiled. "You seem like a very nice girl. I've decided to like you. Oh, and I must also ask that you don't bring any 'company' home with you without asking first. I had this one girl stay with me and she was such a little whore, she had a different man going into her room every night. I thank God that I'm deaf in one ear, otherwise her screaming would have kept me up at all hours."

Dani chuckled uncomfortably. "You don't need to worry about that with me Ms. Tabby. I promise."

"Well dear, I'm not asking you to be a nun while you stay here with me!" Ms. Tabby laughed. "You can bring some male friends over for some fun, unless you're from the other side of the tracks."

It took a moment for Dani to catch onto what Ms. Tabby had just said. She sputtered and hurriedly explained that she was not from 'the other side of the tracks'.

Ms. Tabby shrugged it off. "It wouldn't matter to me dear. One of my granddaughters is a lesbian and she's a perfectly nice girl. A bit of a tart, but a nice one none the less."

Ms. Tabby explained a few other things and then left Dani to bring in her things.

It took a while for Dani to haul up her two big suitcases, TV, three boxes of books, five shoe boxes, a waffle iron, and a pair of laundry baskets up the narrow stairs to her new room.

It was actually quite spacious. The walls were painted a rich, deep blue. The furniture consisted of a four poster bed, a bookshelf, a vanity desk, and bedside table, all made from what looked like mahogany. She even had a window seat, like ones she'd seen in the movies.

Walking over, she saw that the window overlooked the street below. The cushions and pillows on the seat were upholstered in white and matched the white comforter and canopy on the bed. Experimentally, she reached down to lift the cushions and was delighted to find that the whole seat lifted to reveal a little storage space.

She went to inspect the closet next and gasped as she saw that it was a walk-in. Giddy now, she rushed to her bathroom to see if she could get her rising expectation higher.

Dani was not disappointed. Her bathroom was done in white and blue, just like her bedroom. She grinned as she inspected her claw-footed tub, which was the best part. The rest was pretty standard, porcelain sink and toilet, a towel rack and a small cabinet to hold her personal items.

All-in-all, Dani was very happy with the idea of living with Ms. Tabby. Her room was beautiful, her land lady was nice, although a bit eccentric, and the town seemed to be very picturesque and peaceful.

It had been late afternoon when she arrived and when she was done unpacking, the sun was setting and Dani was feeling a bit hungry.

Grabbing her jacket, she headed down the stairs and found Ms. Tabby sitting on the sofa, watching TV.

Dani knocked on the door jamb to get Ms. Tabby's attention and smiled at her when she turned to look at Dani.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'll be heading out to get something to eat. Did you need anything that I could pick up for you?"

Ms. Tabby shook her head. "No thank you Dani dear, I'm fine. But if you're going out to eat, you might want to try the Mystic Grill. It's on the main strip of town and it's where all the young people go I hear."

Dani smiled. "OK, I'll be going now. Bye Ms. Tabby."

"Goodbye Dani dear," Ms. Tabby said, then turned back to watching her show.

Dani walked out, closed the door and pocketed the house key that Ms. Tabby had given her earlier. She got into her car and pulled away from the curb. Finding her way back to Main Street, Dani looked for the place Ms. Tabby was talking about.

Dani saw a group of people, not much older than herself walk across the road. As she watched them, she saw them enter a building with the sign "Mystic Grill" on the front.

"Ah ha," she said to herself and proceeded to park her Mini.

She walked in the Mystic Grill and took a moment to take in her surroundings. It was like many bar/restaurants she'd been in before. Pool tables, booths and tables where people were eating and being served. The bar was at the back and she saw that there was a little hallway in the corner that led to the washrooms.

Dani walked up to the bar, sidestepping people on the way. The place was packed. Every table was taken and most of the bar was full.

Squeezing in between a few guys who seemed to be in high school, Dani tried to get the attention of the bartender. After a few tries, he finally saw her and came over.

"Hi there. Haven't seen you around town before. Are you new?"

Dani nodded. "Yeah, just got here today."

"Cool. What are you having?"

"Can I eat at the bar?"

The guy shrugged. "Sure, as long as you don't make a mess."

Dani studied the menu on the wall before ordering. "I'll have the Mystic Burger with everything, fries, a coke, and could I have a side of gravy with my fries?"

The bartender grinned at her. "A girl with an appetite, I like that. It should take about fifteen to twenty minutes, is that ok? I'll bring you some nachos to snack on."

Dani smiled at him. "Sure, sounds great. Thanks."

As the guy went to place her order, Dani shimmied onto a stool. She thanked the bartender again when he brought her coke and nachos.

She scooped a good dollop of salsa on a nacho and stuffed it in her mouth. She savored the tangy taste on her tongue before swallowing. Her stomach growled for more and she murmured, "Yeah yeah, I'm on it," before scooping up some more salsa.

She had finished the basket of nachos by the time her food got to her, but she was so hungry that she managed to eat everything.

She sighed contently as she watched the bartender take away her empty plate.

When the bartender came back with her bill he said, "You seemed to enjoy that."

Dani blushed. "I've been driving since seven this morning and the last time I ate was around ten."

The guy whistled. "So you were really hungry. Well, you're welcome to come back any time if you keep eating like that. It's good business."

Dani chuckled. "Deal."

"My name's Ted by the way," he said and stuck his hand to her over the bar.

Dani shook it. "I'm Dani. It's nice to meet you Ted."

"Nice to meet you Dani and welcome to Mystic Falls."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Dani left the Mystic Grill after paying her bill and walked back to her car.

After having dinner at the Grill, Dani felt the exhaustion sink into her bones. It had been a long day and it was high time that she got to bed.

She drove back to her new home, and noticed that all the lights were turned off. Figuring that Ms. Tabby had gone to bed already, Dani got into the house as quietly as possible, locked the door behind her, then tiptoed up the stairs to her room.

She changed into her pj's quickly, brushed her teeth, put in her retainer and washed her face. After she had finished with her nightly routine, she flipped back the plush cover of the bed and climbed in between the sheets.

With a sigh, she settled in and fell asleep in a matter of minutes.

Since Dani had moved in Saturday, she had her whole Sunday free before she had to be into work on Monday. She walked around town and visited the school to familiarize herself. She had lunch at the Grill again and chatted with Ted while she ate.

On Monday morning, she woke up a whole lot excited and a whole lot nervous.

Dani showered, untangled her curly hair, brushed her teeth, got dressed, gathered her stuff and headed downstairs where Ms. Tabby was cooking breakfast.

Dani licked her lips when the smell of bacon hit her nose. Stepping into the kitchen, she saw Ms. Tabby at the stove.

"Good morning Ms. Tabby," Dani said as she set down her bag against the wall.

Ms. Tabby turned to her and flashed a smile. "Good morning Dani dear. I'm almost done breakfast, so why don't you have a seat?"

Dani sat at the small wooden table and Ms. Tabby served both Dani and herself. They chatted a bit while they ate until Dani had to be off to school.

Ms. Tabby wished her luck as she walked out the door. On the way to the school, Dani felt her nervousness get worse and to release some tension, she put in a CD and turned up the volume.

"I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world! Life in plastic, it's fantastic!"

Pulling into the parking lot, Dani did not miss the looks she got. She figured that it was either because she was a newcomer or that she was blaring Aqua's "Barbie Girl" at full blast. Probably the first one.

She smiled at students as she got out and started walking to the front doors. Some smiled back at her awkwardly and others gave her curious looks.

Dani walked through the front doors and weaved her way through the crowded hall to get to the office. The secretary there greeted her cheerfully and introduced herself as Cathy. She gave Dani a schedule of her classes and gave her directions to her class.

Dani thanked her and walked out to go find her class. It was pretty easy because her classroom was on the first floor. No one was inside yet so Dani took a few moments to take out her things and look around.

The class was of a moderate size, having about 20 desks and a white board at the front. Her desk looked exactly like the ones she'd seen her own teachers seated at all through her years as a student. There was a bulletin board at the back, three windows lining the wall facing the door and posters of famous literary quotes and people on the other wall.

The sudden knock at her door surprised her out of her thoughts.

A man who looked to be in his late thirties stood in the doorway. He had sandy brown hair, hazel eyes and a five o'clock shadow besides it being eight in the morning.

Dani smiled politely at him. "Hello, may I help you?"

"Actually, I was under the impression that I was here to help you."

At Dani's confused look, the man stepped further into the room and reached out a hand. "Alaric Saltzman, history teacher."

Dani shook his hand and introduced herself. "Danielle Court, English and Spanish teacher. Everyone calls me Dani though."

"Nice to meet you Dani. You can call me Rick."

"Oh good. That's easier than saying Alaric all the time."

Rick chuckled. "That's what people keep telling me. Anyway, I'm here to act as a sort of mentor. Any questions you have, just come ask me. I'm three doors down that way," he said pointing.

Dani thanked him. "I appreciate the help. I don't know anyone in town except for my land lady but I only just met her a few days ago."

Rick shrugged. "It's not a problem. If you want, some of the teachers are going to the Mystic Grill tonight for dinner and drinks tonight. Something that we do to kick off the start of the school year. You can come along and meet some more of the teachers and hear all the horror stories too."

Dani grinned. "Sounds like fun. What time?"

After Alaric gave her the details, the first bell rang and Alaric said goodbye before heading to his own class.

When he had left, Dani found her nervousness returning with full force. She took some deep breaths to calm herself down and hoped for the best.

* * *

Dani sighed as the last student walked out of the classroom. Slumping into her seat, Dani thanked higher powers that the day was done.

It hadn't been as bad as she had previously thought, but her nerves had exhausted her. Since it was the first day of school, she had just gone over the course outline, taken names, and gotten to know some of her students.

A few had given her a bit of lip, but she just stared them down, letting them know that just because she was new, she wasn't going to take any crap. Some had gotten the message, others would take some more time but she was determined to let these teenagers know she was no pushover.

She gathered her papers and material, twirled her keys around her finger and headed for the door.

She still had a few hours before meeting up with Rick and the other teachers, so she decided to go to the Mystic Falls library and check out their selection.

She'd looked up the address during her lunch break and was delighted to find that it was only a few blocks away from the school. Since it was such a nice day anyway, Dani dropped off her things in the trunk of her car and started her walk to the library.

The Mystic Falls Public Library wasn't that impressive on the outside, but when she got inside, she felt the bookworm inside her surge to the surface.

In front of the entrance, there was a small reception/check-out desk where a nice looking lady, who Dani guessed was the librarian, was talking with a young mother holding an infant. They both looked at her momentarily when she walked in and smiled in greeting before continuing with their conversation.

Beyond the desk lay rows and rows of shelves, and the shelves were covered with books. Dani giddily made her way into the stacks. It took her twenty minutes to survey the whole floor, and when she found stairs leading upstairs to another floor filled with shelves, Dani did a little happy dance.

An elderly man gave her a queer look but she just smiled happily at him and went on exploring. She made a quick mental map in her mind of the library: fiction on the bottom floor and non-fiction on the top, non-fiction films filed with books, audio books on the top floor at the side. DVD's were near the front doors and there were bathrooms both upstairs and down.

Dani grabbed a few books and sat down in a comfortable looking love seat stationed in a cozy corner on the fiction floor. She didn't know how long she sat there, but when she reached for her phone to check the time, she saw that it was nearly six.

Quickly, she grabbed her books and went to the front desk.

The same lady from before smiled at her from behind the counter and reached out to take her books.

"Are you new to town? Would you like to sign up for a library card?"

Dani nodded enthusiastically and filed out the information card that the librarian handed to her. She handed it back when she was done, watched the librarian type a few things on her computer, then she handed Dani a shiny new library card.

"My name is Carol and if you ever have any questions, just come up and ask. Here's a pamphlet with lending information and our web address. Our hours of operation are on the back along with our phone number. Oh, and here," Carol said as she reached down behind the desk. She handed Dani a cloth bag with the words 'Mystic Library' printed on the side. "Every new patron gets a free gift."

Dani thanked Carol and put her newly borrowed books in the bag before walking out.

She made it back to the house at six thirty, which meant that she had thirty minutes to change and get to the Grill. She sprinted up the stairs to her room, dumped her things on the bed and got changed.

Racing back downstairs, almost running down Ms. Tabby in the process, Dani hurriedly grabbed the keys and headed for the door.

"Where are you going Dani dear?"

"Ms. Tabby, I'm so sorry that I can't have dinner with you, but one of the teachers from the high school invited me to dinner tonight at the Grill to meet some of the school staff."

"Well that's alright Dani dear, I was headed over to the neighbor's house anyway to play some bridge. You go and have fun. I'll leave the porch light on for you."

Dani smiled and thanked Ms. Tabby. She walked down the porch steps, got into her car and made her way to the Grill.


End file.
